1) Some extraordinary polls came out today.

CNN finds 58% of Americans say Trump's response to protests has been "more harmful."

Ipsos finds 59% say Biden would do better at reducing violence.

This strategy is failing Trump. But what's driving this? https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/09/04/latest-polling-suggests-trumps-campaign-strategy-may-be-imploding/

2) The polling all tells a story: That majorities see Trump's blustery threats of overwhelming force and incitement of more hatred and violence as a clear and present *danger* to the country.

Look at these numbers:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/09/04/latest-polling-suggests-trumps-campaign-strategy-may-be-imploding/

3) Trump keeps telling us the only answer is overwhelming brute force. Local officials working to balance safety and civil liberties are "anarchists." Trump, by contrast, could solve the violence "in 15 minutes."

What if majorities are rejecting *that*?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/09/04/latest-polling-suggests-trumps-campaign-strategy-may-be-imploding/

4) The deeper argument between Trump and Biden is over the source of legitimacy of the state's monopolization of violence, or over whether perceptions of that legitimacy even matter.

Trump celebrates unshackled state violence and even vigilante-ism:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/09/04/latest-polling-suggests-trumps-campaign-strategy-may-be-imploding/

5) Gary Gerstle, a great historian of white nationalism, tells me Biden is betting on a "Third Reconstruction." Are majorities edging towards an overhaul of our racial order?

That would broaden the possibilities for civil society. Great stuff from him:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/09/04/latest-polling-suggests-trumps-campaign-strategy-may-be-imploding/

6) “When a majority is thinking that Trump is part of the problem, it is indicative that a Third Reconstruction may be underway — a multi-racial movement of Blacks and Whites to put America’s racial house in order."

Let's hope this holds. Full case here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/09/04/latest-polling-suggests-trumps-campaign-strategy-may-be-imploding/

7) One last point:

The celebration of vigilante-ism, the valorization of a white couple for waving guns at protesters, plays on a deeper historical idea, that racial peace is not attainable, and that White America must periodically prepare for race war:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/09/04/latest-polling-suggests-trumps-campaign-strategy-may-be-imploding/